Renowned Pakistani spinner Mushtaq Ahmed advised the activists of the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, never to use Islam for a personal agenda.
He made these remarks while he was at the office of University of the Punjab (PU) Institute of Communication Studies’ (ICS) Incharge Dr Noshina Saleem on Wednesday.
According to the PU ICS spokesperson, the IJT activists, including Osama Naseer, in pursuance of their political interests, had tried to organise a social gathering on the pretext of Durs-e-Quran (Quranic teachings) at the cafeteria of the ICS, inviting the former Pakistan cricketer as a speaker.
Upon his arrival at the department cafeteria, the former England coach was personally greeted by Dr Noshina, who went up to him and welcomed the national hero inviting him to her office with due honour, the spokesperson said, whereupon the he was informed about the actual political agenda of the IJT activists.
When the super star came to know that the function was being organised without the former approval of the administration, or of any central authority of the university, he advised the IJT activists refrain from practices which would disparage Islam and its teachings, the spokesperson said.
The ICS spokesperson further said that the administration, very respectfully dealing with the former cricket star, treated him with hospitability and later invited him to an official seminar on Durs-e-Quran as a guest speaker, to be organised at the ICS.
“A person of his stature deserves an official platform and to be treated with honour so that a larger audience can benefit from his experience,” the spokesperson said.
Upon such events and advice, the IJT activists rendered an unconditional apology to the ICS administration and pledged not to take any such steps again.